Tushy Book

A celebration of the body part some of us love, some of us hate, but we all use every single day—the TUSH!

Children's Literature

This book praises tushies—a word that the author uses to describe one's buttocks. The book is intended to be upbeat and humorous and explains how tushies dance, skate, spin, and race. It notes that tushies are helpful things to have when one is sitting, lying down, and napping. The book even praises the word "tushy," encouraging children to say the word "ten times every day" precisely because "Tushy's so much fun to say," though parents may disagree. The book is written in rhymes. The illustrations are often full-page and in color. The usefulness and the entertainment value of this book are doubtful. Leaving aside the question of the subject matter—do children really need a book about tushies?—the humor pretty much falls flat, and the rhymes are uninspired. If parents think that verses such as "So be happy! Jump and cheer! You will always have your rear!" will amuse their children, then so be it. Otherwise, parents are better advised to spend their money elsewhere. Reviewer: Leona Illig

FRAN MANUSHKIN is the author of over twenty-five books for children, including Baby, Come Out!, Little Sleepyhead, and Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story. She is a co-chair of the Children's Book Committee of PEN American Center and she lives in New York City.

PASCAL LEMAÎTRE has illustrated several books for children, including The Book of Mean People and Who's Got Game? both by Toni Morrison; Baby Goose by Kate McMullen; and Do Not Open This Book! by Michaela Muntean. He divides his time between Bruxelles, Belgium and Brooklyn, New York.